Lemon Madeira Cake
This recipe is based on a Madeira cake for which there are two secrets to success:
Use free range or organic eggs whose yolks will contribute a beautiful yellow to the cake.
Cover it while baking and cooling so that you have a soft pliable moist cake which lasts a little longer than a cake cooled uncovered.
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
175g/6.2oz unsalted butter
175g/6.2oz golden caster sugar (or standard caster sugar)
195g/6.9oz gluten free self raising flour (I used Dove’s)
4 free range eggs (3 if you are using wheat flour)
50mls milk
grated rind of 1 unwaxed lemon
Icing
160g/5.6oz unsalted butter softened
500g/17.6oz icing sugar, sifted
juice of 1 large lemon
30mls whole milk
1. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F
2. Mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add an egg and mix in, followed by a spoonful of flour, then do the same with the other eggs.
4. Add the remaining flour and mix in.
5. Add milk until it falls from the spoon easily.
6. Put the cake mixture in a well-buttered and lined deep round cake tin.
7. Surround the tin loosely with baking paper so that the cake has a little room to rise, securing it at the base of the tin, using its weight to hold it in place.
8. Bake in the oven for 1 hr. Check that it is done by removing the baking paper and inserting a skewer into the cake. If it comes out dry it is done.
9. Re-cover the cake with the baking paper and leave it for a few hours or until the next day. This ensures a soft top and a moist, yet light and buttery cake.
10. Whip/beat the icing ingredients in a mixer such as a KitchenAid for 5 minutes until really light and fluffy. Or use an electric whisk or a lot of muscle.
11. Now take a long sharp knife and cut the cake into 3 sections. Do this by turning the cake as you cut. Do not do this when you are in a hurry!
12. Layer the cake with generous dollops of icing and then ice the whole thing with the remainder, or if you have neat layers, just put lots on the top so the layers can be seen.
13. In the photograph is it topped with candied lemon peel. If you want to do this, use a zester and simmer the strips in sugar syrup before leaving on baking paper to dry.
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
175g/6.2oz unsalted butter
175g/6.2oz golden or standard caster sugar
195g/6.9oz self raising Gluten free flour
4 free range eggs (one less egg if using standard flour)
50mls milk
grated rind of 1 unwaxed lemon
Icing
160g/5.6oz unsalted butter softened
500g/17.6oz icing sugar, sifted
juice of 1 large lemon
30mls whole milk
1. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F and butter and line a 20cm cake tin with baking parchment. You will also need a sheet of baking parchment twice the size of the tin for use at stage 7.
2. Mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add an egg and mix in, followed by a spoonful of flour to stop the mixture splitting, then do the same with the other two eggs.
4. Add the remaining flour and mix in.
5. Add milk until it falls from the spoon easily.
6. With the cake in on a baking sheet, fill the tin with the cake mixture.
7. With a sheet of baking parchment, surround the tin so that the cake has space to rise. Tuck the parchment under the tin, using its weight to secure it.
8. Bake in the oven for 1 hr and ten minutes. Check that it is done by removing the baking paper and inserting a skewer into the cake. If it comes out dry it is done.
9. Re-cover the cake with the baking paper and leave it for a few hours or until the next day. This ensures a soft top and a moist, yet light and buttery cake.
10. Whip/beat the icing ingredients, preferably in a mixer for 5 minutes until really light and fluffy. Or use an electric whisk.
11. Now take a long sharp knife and cut the cake into 3 sections. Do this by turning the cake as you cut. Do not do this when you are in a hurry!
12. Place the bottom layer of cake on a serving dish and spread some of the icing on top. Place the middle layer on top an do the same. Repeat with the top layer.
13. Decorate the top as you wish. It is so utterly delicious; enjoy.
